OpenAI announced on Thursday the global rollout of group chat functionality in ChatGPT for all users across Free, Go, Plus, and Pro subscription plans. This launch follows a one-week pilot phase that initially included Japan and New Zealand.

The new feature enables multiple users to collaborate with each other and with ChatGPT within a shared conversation. According to OpenAI, this update transforms ChatGPT from a one-on-one assistant into a collaborative space where friends, family members, or colleagues can jointly plan, create, and make decisions.

OpenAI envisions group chats as a practical tool for coordinating trips, co-authoring documents, resolving disagreements, or conducting joint research—with ChatGPT assisting by searching, summarizing, and comparing options.

Up to 20 participants can join a group chat, provided they accept an invitation. The company emphasized that each user’s personal settings and memory remain private and are not shared with others in the conversation.

To initiate a group chat, users can tap the profile icon and add participants either directly or via a shareable link. Each participant must set up a brief profile containing a name, username, and photo.

Notably, adding someone to an existing chat creates an entirely new conversation thread, leaving the original chat untouched.

OpenAI explained that ChatGPT is designed to understand when to actively contribute and when to stay silent in group discussions. Users can mention “ChatGPT” to prompt a response. Additionally, the AI can react to messages with emojis and reference users by their profile pictures.

This move represents OpenAI’s latest effort to evolve ChatGPT beyond a basic chatbot into a more social and interactive platform. The company stated that group chat is just the beginning of transforming ChatGPT into a true collaborative environment rather than a solitary experience.